Austin, Texas (March 27, 2003) -- Senior diver Aaron Russell led the way for the Cougars in the first day of competition at the men's NCAA Championships at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

Russell, a two-time second-team All-American, will now be able to add the title of First-team All-American to his list of accomplishments as he managed to qualify for the final round of the men's 1-M diving event. Russell is also the 2003 Mountain West Conference Champion in the 1-M, 3-M and platform diving events.

"We are feeling pretty good getting Aaron into the finals," said men's swimming head coach Tim Powers.

Also making strong showings for the Cougars in the diving events were senior Justin Beardall and sophomore Scott Randall. Beardall turned in an 18th place finish, just missing the field of 16 that would have ensured him a second-team All-America finish. Randall, in his first NCAA appearance, finished in the 25th spot.

Also making the trip to Austin is junior Randy Belliston, the MWC Champion in the 200 and 400 IM. It is Belliston is the only Cougar swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships and it is also his first trip to the meet. Belliston finished 34th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:49.41.

Competition at the NCAA Championships continues tonight with Russell in the finals of the 1-M, and then again tomorrow as the Championships conclude on Saturday, March 29.

EVENT:   3      MEN's     200  Yard    INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY       
NCAA Record:        1:42.85  NATE DUSING           TEXAS             2001
AMERICAN Record:    1:42.85  NATE DUSING           TEXAS             2001
US OPEN Record:     1:42.85  NATE DUSING           TEXAS             2001
QUALIFYING FOR THIS MEET:            1:47.78
RESULTS of PRELIMS
  RANK       NAME            YEAR    TEAM             TIME
    1)   BOVELL, GEORGE       FR  AUBURN            1:44.12 :23.43 :26.15 :29.48 :25.06
    2)   GANGLOFF, MARK       JR  AUBURN            1:45.19 :23.25 :26.51 :30.07 :25.36
    3)   ROGAN, MARKUS        JR  STANFORD          1:45.37 :23.39 :25.19 :31.60 :25.19
    4)   BRUCKART, JOE        SR  CALIFORNIA        1:45.40 :22.50 :26.11 :31.39 :25.40
    4)   LOCHTE, RYAN         FR  FLORIDA           1:45.40 :23.11 :26.72 :30.90 :24.67
    6)   KETCHUM, DAN         JR  MICHIGAN          1:45.46 :23.22 :25.91 :31.78 :24.55
    7)   KENDRICK, RAINER     SO  TEXAS             1:45.47 :22.19 :26.37 :30.82 :26.09
    8)   TRUPIN, DAN          SO  STANFORD          1:45.59 :22.83 :26.98 :30.68 :25.10
    9)   SHANTEAU, ERIC       FR  AUBURN            1:45.85 :23.60 :26.79 :30.17 :25.29
   10)   KNOWLES, JEREMY      JR  AUBURN            1:46.43 :23.50 :26.12 :30.57 :26.24
   11)   BRUCE, MICHAEL       JR  STANFORD          1:46.60 :22.79 :26.72 :30.13 :26.96
   12)   PAUL, LOUIS          SO  PURDUE            1:46.73 :23.02 :26.64 :31.61 :25.46
   13)   HANSEN, BRENDAN      JR  TEXAS             1:46.78 :23.72 :27.05 :29.38 :26.63
   14)   GALLOWAY, JAMES      SR  AUBURN            1:47.15 :23.64 :27.10 :30.68 :25.73
   15)   NATALIZIO, JEFF      JR  CALIFORNIA        1:47.34 :23.44 :25.43 :31.50 :26.97
   16)   O'CONNOE, KELLAN     SR  NORTHWESTERN      1:47.36 :22.93 :26.38 :31.47 :26.58
   17)   VELOZ, JUAN          JR  ARIZONA           1:47.39 :23.04 :26.89 :32.02 :25.44
   18)   LISCINSKY, WILLIAM   SR  AMERICAN          1:47.55 :23.39 :27.50 :30.84 :25.82
   19)   KELLAM, CHRIS        JR  FLORIDA           1:47.84 :23.14 :25.76 :33.62 :25.32
   20)   HAMMING, MARK        JR  NORTHWESTERN      1:47.90 :23.10 :26.77 :31.19 :26.84
   21)   FERRARELLI, MATT     SR  MISSOURI          1:47.97 :23.97 :26.82 :31.37 :25.81
   22)   BLOCH, CHEYNE        JR  HAWAII            1:47.98 :23.15 :27.68 :30.26 :26.89
   23)   PLUMMER, RYAN        JR  MINNESOTA         1:48.03 :23.38 :26.84 :31.44 :26.37
   24)   PROFFITT, JORDIE     JR  SOUTHERN CAL.     1:48.23 :23.50 :27.30 :31.57 :25.86
   25)   RIDGEWAY, PAUL       FR  TEXAS             1:48.38 :22.83 :27.52 :31.58 :26.45
   26)   DASH, JEFF           SR  ARIZONA           1:48.44 :23.13 :27.09 :32.48 :25.74
   27)   BREE, ANDREW         JR  TENNESSEE         1:48.65 :23.70 :28.69 :30.34 :25.92
   28)   GREENWOOD,CHRISTOPHR SO  VIRGINIA          1:48.74 :23.73 :26.87 :31.98 :26.16
   29)   BRANDT, WILL         SO  AUBURN            1:48.85 :23.82 :28.09 :29.29 :27.65
   30)   SWANSON, ANTHONY     JR  NORTHWESTERN      1:49.02 :23.28 :27.29 :32.22 :26.23
   31)   SZABO, DOMINICK      JR  AMERICAN          1:49.08 :23.78 :28.58 :30.26 :26.46
   32)   URRETA, DIEGO        JR  MINNESOTA         1:49.09 :23.84 :27.11 :32.19 :25.95
   33)   LAM, RANDY           JR  GEORGIA           1:49.39 :23.04 :27.77 :32.26 :26.32
   34)   BELLISTON, RANDY     JR  BRIGHAM YOUNG     1:49.41 :23.36 :28.16 :31.34 :26.55 
   35)   SHEVCHIK, DANIEL     SR  HARVARD           1:49.72 :23.66 :26.66 :32.98 :26.42
   36)   SAYAO, CHUCK         SO  MICHIGAN          1:49.80 :24.26 :27.47 :31.92 :26.15
   37)   BETTS, JUSTIN        SR  FLORIDA STATE     1:50.03 :23.85 :28.55 :31.11 :26.52
   38)   ABERCROMBIE, JOHN    JR  SOUTHERN CAL.     1:50.11 :23.38 :28.63 :31.63 :26.47
   39)   FAHEY, PAUL          SO  SOUTHERN CAL.     1:50.68 :24.05 :28.31 :31.82 :26.50
   40)   DICKENS, SCOTT       FR  OAKLAND           1:50.71 :23.93 :29.17 :30.71 :26.90
   41)   ORIWOL, TOBIAS       FR  STANFORD          1:50.91 :23.57 :26.79 :32.63 :27.92
   42)   EKHOFF, LUCAS        JR  WASHINGTON        1:51.03 :24.05 :28.22 :31.25 :27.51
   43)   ROWE, CALEB          SO  CALIFORNIA        1:51.72 :24.56 :29.71 :30.05 :27.40
         CARON, JUSTIN        SR  AUBURN            DISQUAL :23.93 :29.24 :29.43  DISQUA
EVENT:   5      MEN's       1  Meter   SPRINGBOARD DIVING      
   DIVE
   ORDER      NAME             YEAR    TEAM           POINTS
      1    DAUGHERTY,KRISTOPHER SR  GEORGIA           310.90   __________
      2    RUSSELL, AARON           BRIGHAM YOUNG     311.50   __________
      3    PUHAKKA, JOONA           ARIZONA STATE     314.70   __________
      4    AVERY, TODD          SO  GEORGIA           319.40   __________
      5    JONES, PHIL          SO  TENNESSEE         324.80   __________
      6    BRADLEY, ANDY        SO  SOUTH CAROLINA    325.00   __________
      7    WILCOX, ZACH         SO  FLORIDA           333.75   __________
      8    MOSS, CLAYTON        SR  KENTUCKY          363.85   __________
                                               OPTIONAL         LIMITED
 RANK    NAME             YEAR   TEAM             DD    PRELIM    DD
FINALS
   1  MOSS, CLAYTON        SR KENTUCKY                  363.85
   2  WILCOX, ZACH         SO FLORIDA                   333.75
   3  BRADLEY, ANDY        SO SOUTH CAROLINA            325.00
   4  JONES, PHIL          SO TENNESSEE                 324.80
   5  AVERY, TODD          SO GEORGIA                   319.40
   6  PUHAKKA, JOONA          ARIZONA STATE             314.70
   7  RUSSELL, AARON          BRIGHAM YOUNG             311.50
   8  DAUGHERTY,KRISTOPHER SR GEORGIA                   310.90
   9  GARCIA, CAESAR       JR AUBURN                    300.50
  10  DUMAIS, BRICE        SR SOUTHERN METHOD.          293.75
  11  GOWDY, MICHAEL          HAWAII                    293.05
  12  BRICKER, MATT        SO AUBURN                    291.20
  13  SMITH, STEWART       SO ALABAMA                   288.60
  14  COBEN, JASON         JR MICHIGAN                  287.40
  15  ANDERSON, JOSH       JR ARIZONA                   283.45
  16  VINCENT, RAY            SOUTHERN CAL.             283.35
  17  VELASQUEZ, MIGUEL       MIAMI                     283.25
  18  BEARDALL, JUSTIN        BRIGHAM YOUNG             276.05
  18  MORGAN, ADAM            TEXAS A&M                 276.05
  20  SHATTUCK, MARK       FR TEXAS                     273.80
  21  GAGNET, LOUIE        SO FLORIDA STATE             273.00
  22  NEMTSANOV, DENNIS    SO PITTSBURGH                271.75
  23  CARLTON, MARC           INDIANA                   271.05
  24  ROY, ENRIQUE         JR HARVARD                   266.40
  25  RANDALL, SCOTT          BRIGHAM YOUNG             265.70 
  26  ALDERMAN, MIKE          PENN STATE                265.55
  27  PERRY, ANTHONY          DREXEL                    263.05
  28  GRIFFIN, PHILIP      FR SOUTHERN METHOD.          261.60
  29  PICARD, CHRISTIAN       TEXAS A&M                 260.05
  30  RICHESON, MITCH         OHIO STATE                257.30
  31  LINETTE, JON         SO TEXAS                     257.25
  32  SHULICK, ERIC           CLEMSON                   252.75
  33  KLAMI, TIMO             IOWA                      251.05
  34  VanARSDALL, KYLE        LOUISIANA STATE           246.90
  35  TROOP, SCOTT            COLUMBIA                  208.15

PROVO -- After winning their fourth consecutive Mountain West Conference title, the BYU men's and women's swimming and diving teams are sending a combined seven athletes to the NCAA Championships.

The women will be sending three athletes, seniors Cortnee Adams and Kelli Einfeldt and junior Tamber Covington. Adams, a former All-American, qualified to compete in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events, as well as the 100-yard fly event. Covington will be competing in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. After placing 10th at the Zone E Qualifying round, Einfeldt qualified for the 1-M diving event.

The women's NCAA Championships will be held Thursday thru Saturday, March 20-22 at the Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.

On the men's side, the team qualified four athletes for the NCAA Championships, seniors Aaron Russell and Justin Beardall, and junior Randy Belliston and sophomore Scott Randall. Russell, Beardall and Randall all qualified for the NCAA Championships after their performances at the Zone E Diving Qualifying round. Russell, a two-time All-American, finished second in the 3-M and third in the 1-M at zones, Beardall finished second in the 1-M and eighth in the 3-M, as Randall captured a fourth place finish in the 3-M and a respectable 17th place finish in the 1-M at zones. Belliston will be representing the BYU swimmers as he qualified for three events, the 200 and 400-yard IM and the 200-yard breaststroke.

The men's NCAA Championships run March 27-29 at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.